macd's Tealogmacd's tealog on Steepsterhttp://steepster.com/
Gyokuro Imperial from TeavanaThe tea has a nice flavor (though it is disappointingly mild), but just pay attention when brewing. If the water is even a little too hot or too cold, it loses much of its flavor and becomes nothing special. Also, editing this note much later, you really shouldn't buy this tea. There are much higher rated teas on this site that both taste better and also cost less. Just buy a couple teas at once from some other companies so that you get free shipping (Rishi tea, verdant tea, ect... all do it).
So while the flavor is fine/enjoyable, for the price it is not a good deal. Sat, 30 Jul 2011 15:52:16 -0400/teas/Gyokuro%20Imperial/662-gyokuro-imperial?note=81526
Iron Goddess of Mercy from Rishi TeaI definitely have enjoyed this tea. It really has a delicious, bold flavor that stands out. I agree with Mercuryhime though in that the first two infusions are the best, even if that is not typical for oolong. Sat, 05 May 2012 15:11:05 -0400/teas/Iron%20Goddess%20of%20Mercy/414-iron-goddess-of-mercy?note=112769
Chamomile Citrus from Mighty Leaf TeaI find this tea to be both delicious and soothing. I don't drink chamomile very often, but compared to other chamomiles I give this one top marks. Sun, 06 May 2012 17:27:20 -0400/teas/Chamomile%20Citrus/19-chamomile-citrus?note=112889
Japan Gyokuro (720) from TeaGschwendnerI bought one cup of this in TeaGschwender's Chicago store, and both my friend and I agreed it was both bitter and quite possibly the worst green tea we have ever had. That said, I notice that the other reviews here tend to be fairly high, so possibly the guy making it either oversteeped it or used water that was too hot (though if that is the case that would be be very frustrating, to spend $5 on a single cup and have the guy in the company's own store make it wrong) Sun, 06 May 2012 17:34:16 -0400/teas/Japan%20Gyokuro%20(720)/4742-japan-gyokuro-720?note=112890
Hand Picked Spring Tieguanyin (2012) from Verdant TeaThis tea has really grown on me and has developed into one of my favorite teas. Every time a new shipment becomes available, you can count me in for an order. Fortunately I was able to grab some of the last of the Spring edition about two weeks ago before it sold out.Thu, 10 May 2012 00:04:47 -0400/teas/Hand%20Picked%20Spring%20Tieguanyin%20(2012)/26569-hand-picked-spring-tieguanyin-2012?note=113268
Spring Harvest Laoshan Green from Verdant TeaThis is a very fickle tea, but if you are willing to put the effort in it will reward you. The nose of both the dry and wet leaves is outstanding, with a strong smell of salt and brine. The flavor is much more mellow, but it is delicious. Just make sure your water temp, timing and tea/water proportions are exact. I've made it three times (first infusions) in the last two days, and I am still playing around with the brewing, as I know I haven't reached its full potential yet.
As for their suggestion to eat the spent leaves, well, I wouldn't recommend that. My tasting notes for the spent leaves are bitter grass.
Editing this note after my fifth try: this tea could win an award for its fickleness. I think I am closer to reaching its potential (still not there), and the flavor is very nice. It has a light salt/brine taste that was present in the nose. Using a thermometer and timer with this tea is a must, and even then be prepared to experiment
Last edit: having finally figured out how to consistently brew this tea, I'm definitely giving it a bump in the ratings (I previously was holding it down, because I wasn't a fan of wasting tea with a 50-50 brew success rate). It is flavorful, it is fantastic, it is exactly what I am looking for in my green tea. Hopefully you just hit the right brewing combination before I did. I found not exceeding 45 seconds works best for my first brew, and then about 25 seconds on the second. Thu, 10 May 2012 12:56:33 -0400/teas/Spring%20Harvest%20Laoshan%20Green/20058-spring-harvest-laoshan-green?note=113327
Dragonwell Style Laoshan Green from Verdant TeaI am impressed by the size and the beautiful appearance of the dry leaves. The nose (both of the dry and wet leaves) isn't particularly strong, but the liquid is flavorful (though I wish it were a little bolder).
The second steeping however is like a dry red wine, in that your mouth actually feels dry after each sip. In order to quench my thirst I found myself drinking the second steeping faster...which obviously doesn't work when each sip gives that feeling.
All in all, it is a nice tea, though it lacks a wow factor. Fri, 11 May 2012 00:01:04 -0400/teas/Dragonwell%20Style%20Laoshan%20Green/20057-dragonwell-style-laoshan-green?note=113411
Ancient Yellow Buds from Rishi TeaWow, just...wow. This is truly a fantastic and unique tea. The leaves are beautiful, and the aroma is powerful and reminds me of dried apples. That dried apple smell continues into the flavor, and the tea has a little zest at the same time. As much as I like ordering new teas and avoiding repeat purchases, this is something that I might have to keep stocked on my shelf.
Also, as an added bonus, the second steeping keeps a remarkable amount of the original flavor, and is not weak at all (though given the absurd amount of leaves needed per cup, perhaps this is to be expected). The third steeping came out a little bitter, but the flavor definitely remained. I'll adjust the water temp and steeping time on the third steeping next time, and hopefully this will kill the bitterness. Thu, 17 May 2012 10:53:30 -0400/teas/Ancient%20Yellow%20Buds/5683-ancient-yellow-buds?note=114091
Shui Xian Wuyi Oolong from Verdant TeaWell rounded, roasted flavor that lasts multiple steepings. Tieguanyin remains my favorite oolong carried by verdant tea, but I'm very much going to enjoy having this tea at work (starting from the very first cup, as I'm taking a break from work to write this). Sun, 19 Aug 2012 00:33:21 -0400/teas/Shui%20Xian%20Wuyi%20Oolong/29089-shui-xian-wuyi-oolong?note=125909
Aged Traditional Anxi Tieguanyin from Verdant TeaI'm a huge fan of Verdant Tea and will keep buying from them for a long time to come, but this tea didn't really do anything for me. That said, no one loves every tea they try. Tue, 02 Oct 2012 23:20:52 -0400/teas/Aged%20Traditional%20Anxi%20Tieguanyin/30643-aged-traditional-anxi-tieguanyin?note=132810
Light Roast Anxi Traditional Tieguanyin from Verdant TeaThis tea was fantastic, great flavor, lots of nuances, held up for a number of infusions (though the first was clearly the best). If they weren't already sold out, I'd be ordering more and stocking up. But really one of the best oolongs that I've ever had - if more comes available I will easily put in a 4-6 oz order, I liked it that much. Tue, 02 Oct 2012 23:24:49 -0400/teas/Light%20Roast%20Anxi%20Traditional%20Tieguanyin/30422-light-roast-anxi-traditional-tieguanyin?note=132812